20060430008269I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Mooney M20C · Smithfield, NC · April 30, 2006

Date: April 30, 2006 · 08:30 local
Place: Smithfield, NC
Airport: Johnston County Airport
Phase of flight: Forced Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N7873V
Reported as: Mooney M20C
Reported engine: Lycoming O360A1D
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,890 total12 in this make and model5 in the last 90 days

N7873VRegistration cancelled May 9, 2022 · Mooney M20CS/N 2836 Airframe modelMooney M20C Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) PIC stated on April 30, 2006 during a training flight he attempted a fuel tank change prior to landing at jnx. The fuel selector jammed in the "off" position. The flight instructor in the copilot seat took control while he unfastened his seat belt and crawled into the floor to get better leverage on the fuel selector. He was unable to move the selector to either the left or right tank position; therefore, it was stuck in the off position. They prepared for a power off approach to jnx. When it became apparent that they were not going to make the airport, the instructor chose the best available off airport site. They opted to land wheels up due to the need to stretch the glide and the condition of the soft field. They landed with minor damage to the aircraft and no injuries to the crew. Attached is a statement from d & s aero specialties, inc., stating the fuel selector valve is extremely difficult to move, and that something is definitely not right (maintenance is pending).

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PIC STATED ON APRIL 30, 2006 DURING A TRAINING FLIGHT HE ATTEMPTED A FUEL TANK CHANGE PRIOR TO LANDING AT JNX. THE FUEL SELECTOR JAMMED IN THE "OFF" POSITION. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR IN THE COPILOT SEAT TOOK CONTROL WHILE HE UNFASTENED HIS SEAT BELT AND CRAWLED INTO THE FLOOR TO GET BETTER LEVERAGE ON THE FUEL SELECTOR. HE WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE SELECTOR TO EITHER THE LEFT OR RIGHT TANK POSITION; THEREFORE, IT WAS STUCK IN THE OFF POSITION. THEY PREPARED FOR A POWER OFF APPROACH TO JNX. WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE THE AIRPORT, THE INSTRUCTOR CHOSE THE BEST AVAILABLE OFF AIRPORT SITE. THEY OPTED TO LAND WHEELS UP DUE TO THE NEED TO STRETCH THE GLIDE AND THE CONDITION OF THE SOFT FIELD. THEY LANDED WITH MINOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT AND NO INJURIES TO THE CREW. ATTACHED IS A STATEMENT FROM D & S AERO SPECIALTIES, INC., STATING THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MOVE, AND THAT SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY NOT RIGHT (MAINTENANCE IS PENDING).